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        New Message Board Archives >> 2007 General Board Posts >> Polariod PDC 4055
        
(Message started by: Redd on Apr 13^th, 2007, 9:23pm)

Title: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Redd on Apr 13^th, 2007, 9:23pm

I've come upon an issue that I've not been able to find a solution for.

Cheap digital Camera, but it was working just fine until a week or so ago. Now, I cannot delete the photos on the memory card. I take a photo, and when it comes to viewing them in a folder it says the image format is not supported. I cannot get the camera itself to switch to the review feature to see them in the preview screen.

It's like the chip inside it has become corrupt. Anyone have any clue as to what migh be the issue or what I can do about it? I bought a new camera again today because Meg needed one for a piece she is doing for the next issue of that publication she and Dyl write for, but I'm hoping I can still salvage this old one some way some how.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Gator on Apr 13^th, 2007, 9:37pm

My Kodak does that to me every once in a while. Try removing the batteries, switching in on and off and then reinstalling the batteries.

Not sure about the memory card. Try the above and see if the camera can read the card. If it is corrupted, then there's probably not much you can do, but to reformat the card with the camera.

If none of the above works, then I dunno.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Jonny on Apr 13^th, 2007, 9:39pm

Beats me , Redd, I have a year old cam that wont even work, im hoping its the battery.

I looked in the trouble shooting section of my cam book, but its no help to you :(

Sucks to be us I guess.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Redd on Apr 13^th, 2007, 10:09pm

This is 2 camaras in 2 years that has just "stopped" working.

If it were a 30 dollar thing I wouldn't be as pissy about it. But It was like 80 bucks, cheap as far as digital camaras go yes, but still a chunck of change non-the-less.

Mike, I have removed the batteries, replaced with new ones, I went threw it yesterday and tried to delete the photos that are "unsupported", and then I plug the damn thing back in to the computer and there they are again.

Just pisses me off. An $80 camara should last more than just a year or so.

Grrrrrrrr.....

Ok end of rant.

I'm going to contact the comapny and see if I can send the damn thing in to be looked at.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Gator on Apr 13^th, 2007, 10:27pm

Have you tried a different memory card? Maybe the one you have is really shot.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Jonny on Apr 13^th, 2007, 10:32pm

Damn, I paid $450 for mine......I hope its the battery :o

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Redd on Apr 13^th, 2007, 10:35pm

I bought a new memoty card for the new camara, and Meg is the first to use it for taht pice she needs to write.

However, that doesn't explain the reason why I cant review the photos in the camara itself does it?

What ever happened to the good old days? Film, negatives, etc?

All this technology is getting to be it's own (pardon the pun) headache.... :-/

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Redd on Apr 13^th, 2007, 10:38pm

on 04/13/07 at 22:32:06, Jonny wrote:

Damn, I paid $450 for mine......I hope its the battery :o

I do too, for your sake Bro, because if I paid that much for something that didn't last a year..well... then that would be the temper I usually keep in check. The manufacturers should be afraid..very afraid.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by barry_sword on Apr 14^th, 2007, 9:14am

I bought a camera I nick-named "never flash" :D. I actually had to squeeze the damn thing to make it flash. Electronic junk!

I bought this one a year ago and it does a great job and with the 1 gig memory card upgrade the videos it does are very good. We take this mountain biking with us and it takes a pounding and never misses a beat.

I paid 450 Canadian but wanted a decent digital camera this time around, I love it!!! [smiley=heart.gif]

Barry

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7da35b3127cce83f63fb1d5f700000016101AZtGrZu5asU

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Lobster on Apr 14^th, 2007, 10:55am

Good morning Redd.

How are you attempting to read the images?
Are you using an interface cable between the camera and a PC?
Or are you removing the SD card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader or some other interface?

As Gator said, it could be the SD card.
Try this... isolate the problem to either the camera or the SD card.
Remove the SD card from the camera.
Clear all images from the camera.
Now take a picture or two using just the cameras internal memory.
Does the problem persist?

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Redd on Apr 14^th, 2007, 11:22am

on 04/14/07 at 10:55:26, Lobster wrote:

Good morning Redd.

How are you attempting to read the images?
Are you using an interface cable between the camera and a PC?

yep

Or are you removing the SD card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader or some other interface?

leaving the card in, don't have a card reader.

As Gator said, it could be the SD card.
Try this... isolate the problem to either the camera or the SD card.
Remove the SD card from the camera.
Clear all images from the camera.
Now take a picture or two using just the cameras internal memory.
Does the problem persist?

Just tried this, and the camara works fine without the card. How would a card get corrupted like this?

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Lobster on Apr 14^th, 2007, 11:34am

1000 things can corrupt an SD card.
Good thing is that a replacement is cheap.

I am not sure if you can reformat the drive through your camera.
Try this...
http://www.cnetx.com/format/download.asp

See if your SD card shows up as a drive when the camera is connected to your PC. If so, that Flash Format utility just might do the trick for you.

SD cards are now filthy cheap. You can go up to 1GB in your camera.
http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-1GB-SecureDigital-SD-Package/dp/B00070QI1I/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-8273024-4371209?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1176564740&sr=1-1

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by ClusterChuck on Apr 14^th, 2007, 11:35am

on 04/14/07 at 11:22:50, Redd wrote:

Just tried this, and the camara works fine without the card. How would a card get corrupted like this?

Gremlins ...

Who knows, hun? It could be a bit of dirt, or moisture or just flat out failed, for unknown reasons.

Chuck

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Redd on Apr 14^th, 2007, 11:49am

As cheap as the cards are, I'll just buy a new card and be done with it. I can have one camara in the house and one I leave in the Aztek for day trips and such.

Least now I know the problem, and I don't have to trash it.

Thanks for all the help.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by pieface_49 on Apr 14^th, 2007, 12:32pm

Hello Redd,
Try to find someone with a camera that uses the same flash card/memory. This will diagnose the flash. Did the new one you bought use the same flash?

Does the camera appear to sound like it just keeps attempting to read the information for over 5 seconds? This would suggest the format option, if your flash allows formatting. Utilities as Iolo System Mechanic and hard drive recovery utilities can possibly recover your data. A flash is simply seen by Windows as another drive. I would suggest running a utility that has a "Test" mode. Many utilities attempt to recover data by moving the data on the same drive.

I searched here and just looked for something free:
http://www.tucows.com/Windows/IS-IT/FileManagement/FileRecovery/?filter=freeware&page=1&nfilter=shareware

Quote:

Cheap digital Camera

$53 shipped from Ebay. Yep, it's cheap :O

Donnie

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by pieface_49 on Apr 14^th, 2007, 12:37pm

Sorry about the double post. Stopped during submittal the first time.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by BobG on Apr 14^th, 2007, 12:43pm

My camera cost $9. Got it at Walgreens. Uses film. Take it back to Walgreens to develop the film for $5 and they give me a new camera. The camera and developing costs a lot less than a battery for those new-fangled $450 failures.

P.S.
someday I'll move into the 21st century. But, not today.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by Paul98 on Apr 14^th, 2007, 12:50pm

Redd-

Check for firmware updates on the manufactures web site. Also check for a factory reset button or software setting.

Oh, in case the camera got wet...you are screwed.
-P.

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by pieface_49 on Apr 14^th, 2007, 1:00pm

Thanks Jonny, "Remove" sitting right in front of me and never saw it :). Now I can remove those posts with post thoughts about posting :o

Title: Re: Polariod PDC 4055
Post by ClusterChuck on Apr 14^th, 2007, 1:15pm

on 04/14/07 at 12:50:12, Paul98 wrote:

Oh, in case the camera got wet...you are screwed.

Just a hint here. If any of your electronic possessions get dropped in water, the FIRST thing to do is yank out the battery! Water does not, on its own, damage the components. As a mater of fact, back in the day, we used to wash circuit boards in water.

The way the damage happens, is that water conducts electricity. It then brings current to components that are not suppose to have it. Hence the damage. By removing the power source (battery) you remove the problem.

Where this can fail, is if the battery is not removed soon enough, or, in some items, there is the main battery, and then an internal one, that is not user accessable.

Once you have the power source removed, shake out the water, and then just leave it for a week or so, to drain and dry. Do NOT use a hair dryer (or such) to dry it out. You can melt components or ribbon wires.

If it was salt water it was dropped in, it is also a good idea to flush out all the salt water, with clean tap water.

The above is true for cameras, cell phones, portable phones, radios, etc. etc. The list goes on and on.

Remember, get that battery out ASAP!!! And LEAVE it out.

Chuck

PS: Now, please IM me your credit card numbers, and expiration date, for billing purposes, for technical advise.